Cruz comes back in february

In August 2005, they found out Mir wasn't going to make an October fight. They stripped him. He fought in February, 3 months after that October fight.

Yeah but Mir came back way too early. He looked awful in that fight and lost to Marcio Cruz. He then looked awful in his decision win against Christiansen and in his beatdown by Vera. He looked to be in better shape when he submitted Hardonk very early in the first. The same with the first Lesnar fight, though he was getting his *** beat until the kneebar. Mir really didn't look like he was back to normal (i.e. ripped, in shape, etc.) until the Big Nog fight in December 2008.

That said perhaps they shouldn't have stripped him and just let him get his *** kicked by Arlovksi in early 2006, but there is a difference between training injury (like Cruz, GSP) then an out of training motorcycle accident like Mir had.

Yeah but Mir came back way too early. He looked awful in that fight and lost to Marcio Cruz. He then looked awful in his decision win against Christiansen and in his beatdown by Vera. He looked to be in better shape when he submitted Hardonk very early in the first. The same with the first Lesnar fight, though he was getting his *** beat until the kneebar. Mir really didn't look like he was back to normal (i.e. ripped, in shape, etc.) until the Big Nog fight in December 2008.

I don't care that Mir most likely would have lost. I'd rather have someone beat on a cripple than strip a champ. It devalues the belt itself.